Annual Progress Report 2024

QUEBEC-NEW YORK

• We continued our longstanding role as the lead advocate for our region's U.S.-Canadian border crossings, including for staffing, infrastructure, technology, policies and practices supporting optimal fluidity.
• We continued engagement with the U.S. General Services Administration on the finalization of plans for an entirely new U.S. Port of Entry at Rouses Point, including a processing center for incoming Amtrak passengers, leading to the start of construction. We also saw the finalization of plans for the modernization and expansion in 2025 of the Trout River Port of Entry.
• We continued to be a stakeholder advocate in the development of major facility plans for the Canadian Port of Entry facilities at Lacolle.
• We achieved strong Canadian visitation numbers through extensive and well targeted marketing in Quebec and eastern Ontario, including expanded marketing made possible through a special $300,000 grant.
• We organized and conducted a record number of our Red Carpet "Doing Business in the U.S." workshops virtually and in person in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Quebec and for individual companies looking at cross-border investment.
• We continued our strong support and advocacy for the Champlain Hudson Power Express Project, now under construction.
• We actively pressed Amtrak and CN Rail for rail line improvements in Quebec in order to end summer suspensions of the Amtrak Adirondack service and continue to press for the avoidance of other Montreal-NYC slowdowns and disruptions.
• We welcomed the appointment of the new Quebec Delegate General in New York, David Brulotte, and hosted his first visit to our region, including two days of tours and activities. We also welcomed a first visit by the new Deputy Canadian Consul General in N.Y., Geoffrey Gartshore.
• We once again helped to organize and co-host a record-breaking International Trade Days program together with the Canadian Consulate, U.S. Customs & Border Protection and CBSA.
• We were presenters at the 2024 annual meeting of the Eastern Border Transportation Coalition.
• We continued to circulate our monthly Quebec-New York Corridor News to thousands of interested individuals on both sides of the border.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• We recruited a new Vice President of Economic Development with a thoroughly successful transition.
• We successfully recruited a new bus producer for the Nova Bus site, coordinating a team effort including Empire State Development, Clinton County IDA and TDC, and we are now intensely engaged in the 2025 transition followed by the ramp-up of production over the next two years.
• We worked actively and constructively with area manufacturers supplying Nova Bus to help pursue new business opportunities allowing continued operations in our area.
• We directly assisted with plans for significant expansions of several regional manufacturers including Bionique, Schluter Systems, Michelin and Plattco.
• We helped prioritize plans by NYSEG to address growing industrial power needs in the Town of Plattsburgh including continuing efforts to secure state funding.
• We helped to obtain $20 million in state economic development funding toward the $40+ million hangar project at Plattsburgh International Airport for BETA Technologies.
• We helped to obtain $3 million in FAST NY funding from the state, on top of previous success in obtaining federal funds from EDA and NBRC, to construct infrastructure at the old county airport, creating the new shovel-ready CBIG industrial park.
• We helped to facilitate commitments which will see the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing transition from Clinton Community College to CV-TEC with heightened training services.
• We worked successfully to help Trudeau Institute enhance its sustainability and its continuing transition to new business opportunities.
• We supported full funding for the completion of the rehabilitation of the Adirondack Railroad from Thendara to Tupper Lake, with the initiation of tourism rail services to and from Tupper Lake.
• We helped to secure important provisions in the National Defense Act in Congress in support of Norsk Titanium, BETA Technologies, Michelin and Trudeau Institute.
• We played a strong advocacy role in the funding and construction of the Harison Place and Lofts projects in Malone and Saranac Lake.
• We continued to coordinate SCORE business mentoring services in our region, including recruitment of new volunteer mentors and the promotion of many informative virtual SCORE workshops.
• We once again secured funding to continue our delivery of workplace safety training workshops.

TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT AND AEROSPACE

• We have seen our North American Center of Excellence for Transportation Equipment (NAmTrans) continue to grow and evolve as a unique, multi-faceted and highly effective support platform for our large and growing Transportation Equipment & Aerospace cluster. This included the organization and conduct of a record-setting third Quebec-New York Transportation Rendezvous & B2B in Plattsburgh in 2024.
• We have maintained and strengthened our active partnerships with Aero Montreal and Propulsion Quebec.
• We attended and exhibited at the 2024 Farnborough International Air Show, again spotlighting our region as a site for aerospace manufacturing. We also exhibited at the Aero Montreal Annual Aerospace Forum and the U.S. government's Select USA expo, both in Montreal.
• We continued to actively advocate with and on behalf of Alstom for key business opportunities.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

• We continued to successfully carry out several workforce training initiatives through federal and state grants, including continuation of our On-the-Job Training Program and our Welding Academy, and secured major funding for continued programming in 2025.
• We obtained special funding from Verizon for a program of digital skills development.
• We secured a collaboration with DANC in the implementation of the state funded NEXT MOVE initiative, designed to encourage greater employment connections between our companies and soldiers and their spouses transitioning out of the Army at Fort Drum.
• We organized and conducted two very successful Job Fairs for our employers and job seekers.
• We played a leading role in staging a record-breaking Manufacturing Day with area schools at Clinton Community College.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

• We conducted our Annual Issue Survey to give voice to North Country business on timely federal, state and regional issues.
• We once again conducted a very successful State Legislative Forum with our area State Legislators as well as our Annual State of the County/City/Town breakfast.
• We positioned ourselves for successful transitions in relationships and strategies in response to election results at the federal, state and local levels.
• We led the creation of the first ADIRONDACK ECONOMIC AGENDA in collaboration with ROOST, the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages, the Adirondack Economic Development Corp., and the Lake Champlain-Lake George Regional Planning Board, focused on broadband, housing and economic and tourism development. We then conducted two days of high-level meetings in Albany with active follow-ups leading to progress.
• We conducted another successful NORTH COUNTRY DAYS IN WASHINGTON, highlighting regional economic development priorities with key Senators and Members of Congress.
• We participated in and assisted with annual visits by Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and visits to manufacturers by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

PLATTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

• We continued our promotion and advocacy on behalf of the future of Plattsburgh International Airport.
• We activated the region in support of the approval by USDOT of continued EAS service by Contour Airlines with a commitment to switch their service from Philadelphia to Washington Dulles, much preferred by regional business and tourism interests.

VISITORS BUREAU

• Our Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau thoroughly and effectively implemented their extensive 2024 Tourism Marketing & Development Plan.
• We secured and successfully hosted eight major bass fishing tournaments on Lake Champlain as well as the return of the East Coast Watercross Championships.

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• We successfully sustained and grew membership.
• We conducted an array of enjoyable, productive and very successful events in 2024 including our Annual Dinner, St. Patrick's, Women in Business, Business Expo, North Country Connections, our annual golf tournament, and our monthly Business After Hours networking events, among others.
• Our Health Insurance services remain a strong support system for small businesses and individuals in the region.
• Communications remain strong and effective including Need To Know, Today's Dose, Quebec-NY Corridor News, Plattsburgh International Airport News, Adirondack Coast News, NAmTrans News, active interaction with news media and our expanded use of several social media platforms, along with our strong and updated websites.
• Finances remained very strong with a diversity of revenue streams.
• We have maintained strong Partnerships with our Partner Community Chambers across our region, including Akwesasne, Malone, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Inlet, Speculator, Indian Lake. North Warren, Stony Creek, Schroon Lake, Ticonderoga, Whiteface and ROOST.